[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 206 (Thursday, October 28, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 59746-59747]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-23511]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[L19900000.PO0000.LLWO320.20X; OMB Control No. 1004-0025]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Mineral Surveys, 
Mineral Patent Applications, Adverse Claims, Protests, and Contests

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of information collection; request for comment.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), 
the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) proposes to renew an information 
collection.

DATES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before 
December 27, 2021.

ADDRESSES: Send your written comments on this Information Collection 
Request (ICR) by mail to Darrin King, Information Collection Clearance 
Officer, U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management, 
Attention PRA Office, 440 W 200 S #500, Salt Lake City, UT 84101; or by 
email to [email protected]. Please reference Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) Control Number 1004-0025 in the subject 
line of your comments. Please note that due to COVID-19, the electronic 
submission of comments is recommended.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To request additional information 
about this ICR, contact Elaine Guenaga by email at [email protected], or 
by telephone at 775-276-0287. Individuals who are hearing or speech 
impaired may call the Federal Relay Service at 1-800-877-8339 for TTY 
assistance. You may also view the ICR at http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In accordance with the PRA (44 U.S.C. 3501 
et seq.) and 5 CFR 1320.8(d)(1), all information collections require 
approval under the PRA. The BLM may not conduct or sponsor, and you are 
not required to respond to a collection of information unless it 
displays a currently valid OMB control number.
    As part of our continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent 
burdens, we invite the public and other Federal agencies to comment on 
new, proposed, revised, and continuing collections of information. This 
helps us assess the impact of our information collection requirements 
and minimize the public's reporting burden. It also helps the public 
understand our information collection requirements and provide the 
requested data in the desired format.
    We are especially interested in public comment addressing the 
following:
    (1) Whether or not the collection of information is necessary for 
the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including 
whether or not the information will have practical utility;
    (2) The accuracy of our estimate of the burden for this collection 
of information, including the validity of the methodology and 
assumptions used;
    (3) Ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and
    (4) How might the agency minimize the burden of the collection of 
information on those who are to respond, including through the use of 
appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological 
collection techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., 
permitting electronic submission of response.
    Comments that you submit in response to this Notice are a matter of 
public record. We will include or summarize each comment in our request 
to OMB to approve this ICR. Before including your address, phone 
number, email address, or other personal identifying information in 
your comment, you should be aware that your entire comment--including 
your personal identifying information--may be made publicly available 
at any time. While you can ask us in your comment to withhold your 
personal identifying information from public review, we

[[Page 59747]]

cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.
    Abstract: The General Mining Law (30 U.S.C. 29, 30, and 39) 
authorizes a holder of an unpatented claim for hardrock minerals to 
apply for fee title (patent) to the federal land (as well as minerals) 
embraced in the claim. Division G, Title I of the Consolidated 
Appropriations Act, 2021 (H.R. 133), annual appropriation bill for the 
Department of the Interior, has prevented the BLM from processing 
mineral patent applications unless the applications were grandfathered 
under the initial legislation. While grandfathered applications are 
rare at present, the approval to collect the information continues to 
be necessary because of the possibility that the moratorium will be 
lifted and applicable regulations that contain the information are 
still part of the Code of Federal Regulations.
    There are no proposed program or other policy changes requested. 
The BLM will be adjusting the non-hour cost burden from $255,375 to 
$256,425, an increase of $1,050. The adjustment results from updating 
costs estimates.
    OMB control number 1004-0025 is scheduled to expire on February 28, 
2022. This request is for OMB to renew this OMB control number for an 
additional three (3) years.
    Title of Collection: Mineral Surveys, Mineral Patent Applications, 
Adverse Claims, Protests, and Contests (43 CFR parts 3860 and 3870).
    OMB Control Number: 1004-0025.
    Form Numbers: 3860-2 and 3860-5.
    Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.
    Respondents/Affected Public: Owners of unpatented mining claims and 
mill
    sites upon the public lands, and of reserved mineral lands of the 
United States, National Forests, and National Parks.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Respondents: 1.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Responses: 10.
    Estimated Completion Time per Response: Varies from 1-100 hours, 
depending on activity.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Burden Hours: 559.
    Respondent's Obligation: Required to obtain or retain a benefit.
    Frequency of Collection: On occasion.
    Total Estimated Annual Non-hour Burden Cost: $256,425.
    An agency may not conduct or sponsor and, notwithstanding any other 
provision of law, a person is not required to respond to a collection 
of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number.
    The authority for this action is the PRA of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et 
seq.).

Darrin A. King,
Information Collection Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2021-23511 Filed 10-27-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-84-P